GB 2004 Naval Mail Cover "EU-USA Transatlantic Maiden Voyage QUEEN MARY 2" (QM2-4)

Maiden Voyage of the 'Queen Mary 2' from Europe to the USA

January 12, 2004: The Queen Mary 2 left her home port of Southampton, in the south of England, for an inaugural cruise to Fort Lauderdale, Florida (USA), and immediately encountered a severe storm sweeping across the English Channel.

The world's largest ocean liner, the new flagship of British shipping company Cunard, has set sail for its maiden transatlantic cruise. It is scheduled to reach Fort Lauderdale after 14 days at sea, including stops in Madeira and the Canary Islands.

Naval Post carried onboard the 'QM2'

This is to certify that this QM2 cover was taken onboard under the care of the Postal Officer of the vessel on the eve of its getting under way for its Transatlantic Maiden Voyage as the biggest and most luxurious liner ever.

This cover features a British stamp "47p Mayflower - Europa 2003". The QM2 not having any onboard post office, it is the QM2 Maiden Voyage special official authentification stamp (in red) which was affixed by the Postal Officer. The cover was cancelled upon the liner's arrival's at Fort Lauderdale by the US Postal Service (note: all stamp bears a scratch mark caused by the mail sorting machine).

After arrival in the States, the envelope was sent to theUnited Nations in New York from where it then was returned to the sender in the Council of Europe, Strasbourg France. Only 210 such envelopes (numbered 1 to 210) travelled this way.